Finn

Growing up in a small town, a small community, you are much closer to your neighbors than in a bigger city. Finn knew that and had always taken for granted that he was going to always know and grow up with the people around him.

He was one of the middle children of five brothers. Up and down the block were other kids their age and some a little younger. The neighbors had four girls, but they were all younger. The oldest was the same age as Finn's youngest brother. Still, the girls were a standard in the neighborhood, out riding their bikes, playing, squealing on their trampoline.

When Finn turned 18 and joined the military, they were still girls. He came home on leave a couple times a year, but never really noticed them much until his youngest brother started dating the oldest girl. Then the families always seemed to spend a lot of time together.

He signed up for another 4 years and ended up on Japan, only going home once on leave. Once he got out, he stayed there with a girl he had met. Three long years later, they broke up and he had to go home. There was no real place for him, not yet, just back with his parents until he got a job in the states. It wouldn't be hard, he was highly trained, but he had to be there to interview. That meant at least a few weeks home with his folks.

They were excited, he was less excited.

He pulled up in the old neighborhood, paid the Uber driver and went in, noticing that the house next door was all lit up and there was some sort of party happening.

"Ma?" he called.

"Finn! Oh my little Finn!" she yelled, running out of the kitchen to hug him. She jerked to a halt and stared at him, like he knew she was going to when she saw him. "Finn?"

"No hug, ma?"

She moved closer, slowly, hugging him as she looked him over in confusion. "What is all of this? You... there are so many!"

"Tat's ma. Ink."

"I... I see that. So many, Finn! How do you expect to get any kind of job with all of those on your body? And even your neck! Look at you! You are so big! And your hair... and your face! That is... quite a beard?"

Finn chuckled and hugged his mother. "What time will pop be home?"

"Nine? He is still on swing shift. Oh, come in and sit! Charlie will be in tomorrow! And Max, he lives here in town, him and Savannah."

"He married her, huh?"

"Yes! And you would know that if you kept in touch! Got that facebook!"

"Nah, ma. I'm not into social media. I was busy livin life!"

"I see that. Look at you! I just hardly recognize you at all! The hair... is that a mohawk, is that what they call it?"

"Nah. Mohawk would just be a strip of hair, I only have the sides shaved."

"The top is so long!"

"Not too long."

"It's in your eyes!"

"That's the style ma," he laughed, waving her hands away as they sat down in the living room.

"And this beard! I never imagined any of my boys with a beard! So many tattoos, Finn! Are they everywhere? Even your legs! Look at you! Finn Shepherd! It is winter and you are wearing shorts! And sandals!"

"Easy ma, when I left the airport, it was warm. It's only cold here and it's not so bad. I brought a bag."

"Likely no warm clothes in it! I have some of your fathers..."

"Ma! Settle down, I am fine, promise."

"When did you get all of these tattoos?"

"Kaito was a tattoo artist."

"So she gave you all of these?"

"All but two. This one here? She and I went and had these done together. This one? Her brother gave me."

"You didn't say what happened, just that it was over and you were coming home?" his mother prompted.

"We were planning on getting married. She kept putting it off and putting it off. Turned out her father was forbidding it and she was trying to get him to change his mind. I asked her to come back here with me and we could get married anyway... she said no. She picked her family."

"I'm sorry, Finn."

"It's whatever. That's three strikes," he laughed. "I'm out. Done with women."

"Don't be that way! And Cherry shouldn't count at all!"

"I dated her for three years, Ma."

"In highschool! That doesn't count. She was too young, both of you were."

"She was just too impatient. Couldn't wait to open her legs the week I left for basic."

"Only adult relationships count!"

"Neveah was worse. I was three days away from marrying her before I found out she had three kids and had lied to me. She just wanted a military husband so she could live on base, she didn't give a shit about me. When I found out and told her to fuck off, she was married the next week to Monahan. Convinced him to take her to Vegas. Poor fucker is still married to that cunt."

"Finn! Language!"

"Sorry Ma. I'm just done with women. I'll date them, but no getting serious. Not at all."

"You aren't getting any younger!"

"Don't start with that!" he laughed. "I know you are a gramma already, a few times over. I don't need to give you grandkids too. So this weekend, huh? I get to meet all the little fuckers?"

"Finn!"

"I'm kidding," he laughed.

"Saturday," she said, giving him a nod. "Everyone will be here on Saturday so you can meet your sisters in law and nieces and nephews."

"Good. I have a couple days to prepare myself for all the disappointed looks like you gave me."

"Finn!"

"Teasin, Ma. I knew you were expecting something different. I'm used to it."

"You are perfect, Finn. It just surprised me is all."

"What's going on next door?"

"Party I think. The youngest girl's birthday."

"Yeah? What are they, like teenagers now?"

"Hah! The youngest is 18 today!"

"Shit, really? Has it been that long? Fuck. Now I feel fucking old!"

"Language, Finn!"

"Sorry Ma, habit. I'm going to go put my bag in my old room. Wait, is it still my old room?"

"Yes," she said laughing. "All of your rooms are still your rooms. I will finish up supper and call you down when it is ready. Or you can come talk to me while I cook?"

"We'll have time Ma, sorry. I have a huge time adjustment to get used to, I am dead on my feet."

She nodded and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. "I am glad you are home."

Finn went upstairs and tossed his bag on the old bean bag chair in his and Charlie's old room. He dropped into the bottom bunk, scowling. He tried not to let himself be bitter and angry, but he was still furious. Three years wasted.

She couldn't even tell him to his face, sending her brother. He had been an asshole about it too, acting like he thought Finn would try and fight or something. That meant she had told him he would get violent. She had lied to her brother just to get out of telling him to his face.

Bitch.

He rolled over, glaring at the wall, but couldn't relax enough to fall asleep. Being there was like a glaring reminder that he had been removed from his home. The home he had shared with her for three years and he had helped pay for. He hadn't even been allowed to get anything but a few clothes he could pack in two minutes while her brother stood yelling and threatening to call the police. His books, records, 8 years worth of military memories in every form. Gone. He'd had no rights there. She had made sure of that with her lies.

Bitch.

He rolled again, then sat up and looked around. He went to the side window and squatted, looking at the house next door and all of the loud teenagers with their louder music. Punks. It was a weeknight.

He chuckled then, laughing at himself this time. It was 7 PM.

God damn, he was getting old.

Macy smiled at the bouncer, her eyes shining as he looked at the fake ID. He handed it back and stamped her hand and elation sang through her as she hurried in behind her friends.

"I told you!" Allyssa whispered. "They don't care! It can be the worst fake ID ever and all they care about is money."

Macy only nodded and looked around, her first time in a bar. It wasn't overly full, but full enough. Most the men and women were older, but she didn't care. They were there to celebrate her 18th birthday for real, getting drunk for the first time in her life.

They went to the bar, her and her four friends.

"We want shots!" Bree called gleefully. "Something really good!" she said to the bartender, who smirked at her like he knew they were all underage and didn't care.

"Try these," he yelled over the music, pouring four shots.

She handed him her credit card. "Can we run a tab?"

"Sure thing babe, tabs run an automatic twenty percent tip, that cool?"

"Yeah! We want drinks too! Something good! Something sweet and yummy!"

"I'll take care of you!" he answered with a grin, pushing the shots across the bar.

The four girls took the little glasses and lifted them. "To birthdays!" Allyssa yelled.

Macy laughed and downed the shot, which was much better than she had imagined it would be. "That was good, what was that?" she asked the bartender.

"Slippery nipple," he answered with a smirk.

"Four more slippery nipples!" Bree yelled.

The girls all laughed and had another shot, then went to find a table with their drinks.

"Let's play pool!" Harmony yelled over the music, spotting the tables in the back.

"I want to dance!" Bree yelled. "Come on Mace, let's dance!"

She pulled Macy to the dance floor and they danced, joined by the other two as they all laughed and danced, drinking into the night.

Two hours later, Macy was stumbling out of the restroom and she looked up and blinked at the man in front of her who was heading back to the bathrooms.

"Finn?" she asked, confused.

He stopped and looked down at her, then smiled as he leaned against the wall and reached up, touching her lower lip with his thumb. "You know me, obviously, but I am sure I would remember a lady as lovely as you. I know I would, so I am sure we haven't actually met."

"Sure we have," she answered, pulling away from his hand. "Macy?"

"I don't know any Macy," he said, shaking his head. "But I think I would like to."

"You lived next door? You even babysat me a couple times."

He blinked down at her, studying her face. "The youngest one?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah."

"Shit! Shit, look at you. A woman now, aren't you? Who would have imagined you would grow up to be such a stunner? Why don't we get out of here?" he asked, sliding her hair over her ear.

She jerked back, cringing away from his hand. "Gross! Don't touch me you old creep! I was just trying to say hi to an old neighbor not get skeezed on by an old perv!" She pushed passed him and hurried to her friends.

Finn watched her, shocked and a little angry. Old? Perv? She was old enough to be in a bar, then he wasn't so much older that she could be a bitch about it.

He looked back at her and her friends, then realized. She wasn't old enough to be here. She was the one who had just turned 18. He probably did seem old to her. Still. She didn't have to be such a cunt about it.

When he came out of the bathroom, he sat down where he had been, across from the woman who had been smiling at him for the past half hour. He did take note of the girl and where she was with her friends. He found himself watching her, watching them, letting his anger build up.

She was probably telling them lies about him. Saying he had tried something he hadn't. Tried to grope her instead of just flirting. Something awful.

He watched carefully, but none of them ever looked his way as they danced and laughed.

He moved himself over by the entrance to the bathroom, noticing that they kept going in pairs or alone to the bathroom every ten minutes.

The tallest of the four came through and she looked at him as she started by, then paused as she smiled at him. "Nice fucking ink, man. That's hot as hell. You have piercings too?"

"Nah. Just the tats."

"I'm Bree!"

"Finn."

"I'll be right back!" she called, heading on to the restroom.

Finn turned and looked back out at Macy. So she hadn't said anything to any of them. She was still dancing and laughing, hugging one of her friends.

A man moved close to her on the dance floor and pressed against her. She shoved away from him and put a hand in his face, pulling her friends a few feet away with her.

At least she was being a bitch to every guy and not just him.

"So, I haven't seen you here before!" Bree yelled, sitting at his table as she came out.

"You come here a lot?"

"Every Wednesday and Friday! Some Saturdays too!"

"I've never been here. This wasn't here when I lived here."

"You used to live here?"

"Before the military,"

"You don't look military! You look... I don't know. Like some sort of tatted up viking hipster model."

Finn laughed. "That's a first. I spent a couple years in Japan after the military. Got all my ink then. Your friends are going to miss you soon, I think."

"It's cool! They know I know people here! It's my friends birthday! We are celebrating!"

"Yeah? Close friend?"

"Best friends! Her first time in a bar though, she wouldn't come before! It took me FOREVER to convince her to come! She was afraid dudes would be hitting on us all night."

"She doesn't like guys?"

"She does! Just not right now. Her boyfriend of four years? She just found out he's been cheating on her with some chick at his college. Not even a whole week ago, like right before her birthday. How fucked up is that? He came back to see her and she gave him his ring back and told him to fuck off. It was epic. She was all, 'Go give that to Belle since she's the one your fucking, asshole!' It was so epic! He was totally thrown, he had no idea she knew. Her sister's boyfriend goes to college there and sent her pics from a party. Told her everything."

"Sounds very... teen drama."

"Right? So fucked up. Are you going to be coming here now? Will you be here tomorrow?"

"I have a thing tomorrow, a family thing. Maybe next weekend."

"Cool! Maybe I will see you here! Nice to meet you Tats!" she called, then went back to the dance floor.

He watched for a while longer until Macy came off the floor with the one she was hugging on, giggling and stumbling to the bathroom. The other girl was a little bit chubby and very curvy, showing it off as she held the smaller Macy up. Macy had her head on the girl's shoulder, giggling as the girl paused at the doorway, staring at him.

He was used to those kinds of looks.

He gave her a smirk and she hesitated, licking her lips as Macy pulled on her, trying to get her to keep moving to the bathroom.

"Allyssa!" she groaned, tugging.

"Go ahead! I am right here," the girl said, helping Macy to the hall, then pausing again. She looked over at Finn again, her cheeks pink.

He lifted his chin at her. "Your friend seems pretty drunk."

"Yeah... it's her first time drinking. Her birthday."

"You're a good friend for taking care of her. Small girls like that can never hold their alcohol. You should probably cut her off."

"Oh, I already did! She is just drinking sprite now. Umm. I'm Allyssa."

"Allyssa, I have to say, you don't look quite old enough to be here?"

"Oh! Ummm... they wouldn't let us in if we weren't, right? Are you a cop or something?"

"Do I look like a cop?"

"Not even a little... but maybe undercover or something?"

"Not a cop. Just an observation. You should probably get your friend home. Who is your DD?"

"DD?"

"Designated driver?"

"Oh. Umm, my friend Bree, she hasn't had much and she drinks all the time. She's used to it. She'll drive us home, but not for a while."

Macy came stumbling out. "Lyss. Lyss, I don't feel very good."

"Mace? Sit down here. Can she sit with you?" Allyssa asked him.

"Ewww, not him. He's a pervy creeper."

"Mace! Be nice! Every guy isn't a pervy asshole. Sit down and I am going to get Bree and Harm."

Allyssa sat her in the chair and Macy immediately laid her head down on the table. Alyssa hurried away to the other girls.

"You pass out?" Finn asked her.

"No. God this suuuuucks. I feel horrible. Bree. Let's goooo!"

"They are dancing. It doesn't look like she is ready to leave. Your other friend tried to get her to come over, but she just sort of waved it away like she thought you would be fine passed out here for a while."

"I knew I shouldn't have come here. This suuuucks."

"So you said. Do you need a ride home?"

"Ewwwe, no. Perv."

"Just a ride. I'm about to head that way anyway, I'm not even tipsy let alone buzzed. This isn't really my scene."

"No. I will just walk."

"Don't be ridiculous. I am literally going right next door to your house."

"Why? Are you living there now?"

"Until next week. I just got back from Japan."

"I thought you got out of the military a long time ago?"

"I did. Come on, let's get you home," he said, getting up and helping her stand. He led her out of the bar, her friends not even noticing as they left. "You think you can hold on?" he asked, strapping the extra helmet on her head.

"What is that?" she asked, tugging on the helmet.

"Stop messing with it, let me help you on," he groused, lifting her onto his motorcycle. He got on and pulled her closer from behind, pulling her closer by her legs. He pulled her hands around him. "Hold on tight!" he yelled, then started the bike.

She jerked, her entire body trying to pull away.

"No! Be still and hold on tight!" he yelled, gripping her hands around him. He took them both in one hand and used the other to steer as he pulled away. As soon as they started moving, her hands and legs both clutched around him so tight he almost couldn't breathe. He laughed as he drove her home, feeling a small thrill at being back on his bike after so long and having someone riding with him and holding on. It had been too long.

He pulled in front of his parents house and parked, then helped her off, prying her hands and legs off of him.

"I may throw up," she groaned.

"Don't do it on my bike!" he laughed, taking his helmet off of her. "You need help inside?"

"Nnnn. I was supposed to spend the night at Bree's. My parents can't know I got wasted. This sucks so bad. Why do people do this? I hate this."

"Can you sneak in?"

"My room is up there, I can't sneak in. My dad'll kill me. Then my mom'll yell at me and he will kill me again. This suuuuucks. I need to go to Bree's house."

"She is still at the bar. My folks are in bed, you can crash in my brother's bed."

"No perving."

"No perving. Come on," he said, pulling her towards the house. Halfway up the walk he had to stop and pick her up, she kept trying to sit down. He carried her up to his room and laid her out on the bed. He pulled her shoes off before going and getting her a bowl in case she got sick. He tucked her in with a sigh, then climbed up to the top bunk to lay down, her already passed out.

He chuckled at how ridiculous it was to be harboring an underage drunk girl, hiding her from her parents while sleeping in his old bunk bed.

He rolled over and fell asleep, feeling a little lighthearted finally.

He woke before she did in the morning and eased down, slipping out to get a glass of water and two tylenol. He put them on the nightstand next to her, then went down to make himself some breakfast.

His dad was asleep, his schedule off still and his mom had gone to the grocery store, her note said. He was sitting and eating when he heard her upstairs, vomiting violently. He chuckled again and went back upstairs. She was in the bathroom, her cheek on the seat of the toilet.

"Oh, babe, I would SO not put your face on that," he laughed, helping her sit up.

"Perv? What the hell am I doing here?"

"You don't remember last night?"

"Did you do something to me?"

"Easy, babe, no. Remember? You wanted to go home, so I took you home. We get here and you said your parents would kill you? I let you sleep in my brother's old bunk bed?"

"Did you touch me?"

"No, fucking chill. I got you home safe and put you to bed. Your friends pretty much ditched you when you started to pass out. They left you laying on the table. What else was I supposed to do with you when you said you couldn't go home? I put you in my brothers old bed, gave you a fucking bowl to puke in and let you sleep. This morning I left you some water and pills."